Fire-extinguishing apparatus



Feb. 19, 1952 A. SMYE 2,586,575

FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Filed May 31, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET l F/G2. 354o I 6 I l i I Inventor ttorney Feb. 19, 1952 7 Filed May 51, 1950 A.SMYE FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Invenior A HomePatented Feb. 19, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,586,575 I FIRE-EXTINGUISHING APPARATUS Arthur S mye, London, England, assignor toPyrene Manufacturing Company, Newark, N. J a corporation of DelawareApplication May 31, 1950, Serial No. 165,227 In Great Britain May 31,1949 The present invention relates to portable fire extinguishers of thetype which comprise a con reliable.

vide an improved extinguisher which is readily operable even byinexperienced persons.

It is a further object to provide an extinguisher which may be held andcontrolled with one hand.

It is another object to, provide an extinguisher having a valvemechanism of very simple construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the preferred embodiment. Inthisdescription reference is made to the accompanying drawings forming apart of the specification in which: i

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the extinguisher;

Figure 2 is a section on a larger scale on the lines IIII in Figure 1;

Figure: 3 is an elevationof. the head of the extinguisher; and

Figure. 4 isa section Figure 1. 1

The extinguisher comprisesa stout container 2 to which is screwed adischarge head 4. The container is charged with liquid, and the jointbetween the container and the head is sealed by a gasket 6. In thedischarge head there is a passage 8 leading to a dischargenozzle I andflow through this passage is controlled by a valve member i2 whichco-operates with a seat Id. The liquid in the container is kept underpressure, and initially the pressure may be applied by screwing acompressed air pipe over threads on the end of the discharge nozzle ID.The discharge nozzle is protected by a plastic dust cap which makes apush fit over the threads on the end of the nozzle and so has a verylight grip on the nozzle and is blown ofi when liquid is discharged. Adip pipe I6 is screwed into the base of the discharge head so that whenthe valve member I2 is depressed ofi its seat liquid under pressure canbe driven from the bottom of the container until it is almost empty.

The valve member I2 is carried on a spindle is which can slidevertically in the discharge head. This spindle passes through a gland 26into the upper part of the discharge head above the passage 8, and hasan enlarged top 2| which serves to confine a compression spring 22urging the valve member l2 against its seat H. The

en .the line Ill/ .1V in I 6 Claims (01. 1s9 31) valve member is fittedwith a resilient washer to ensure a goodseal when the valve is closed.This is important, since the extinguisher may be-left charged for longperiods and any leakage past the valve would render the extinguisher un-On the side of the discharge head 4 opposite the discharge nozzle [0there are two vertical flanges 2B bounding a slot 21. This slot houses alever 30, which is pivotally mounted at its lower end 32 on a pin33which spans the fiangesjfi. The'upper end of the lever 30 is bent toform a nose 34 which projects inwards through a gap 35 in the base ofthe slot 27. The lower surface of the 'nose is shaped as a cam 31 whichbears on a roller 36. This rests in half-bearings 38 which are fixed tothe top 2| of the valve spindle i8. Since this spindle is urged upwardlyby the spring 22, and the lever 30 is free to rock about the pin 33, theroller 36 normally lies in its uppermost position, whichis of coursedetermined by the engagement of the valve member l2 with the seat Hi. Inthis position the nose 34 will normally just make contact with theroller 36 as shown and will be prevented by the spring 22 from movingfurth'er inwards.- The inner verticaledgeof the lever is out ofcontact'witli the base of the slot 27 and itsoutervertial edge or backprojects from the slot between the flanges 26. Any tendency of the leverto move completely out of the slot is stopped when the upper surface ofthe nose 35 comes into contact with the lower edge of a cap 40, which isscrewed on to the discharge head 4. It will be seen that after theextinguisher has been assembled and is ready for use the sides of thelever 36 are largely concealed by the flanges 26 and the head of theextinguisher has a very clean and simple appearance. The flanges 2Bprotect the roller 36 and cam 31 from dirt and also prevent anythingentering the space between the inner vertical surface of the lever andthe wall of the head 4. There are no parts which might catch on, say,the sleeve of the user.

When the extinguisher is to be used the head 4 is gripped by the userwith one hand. This is the natural way in which to pick up theextinguisher, and the immediate result is that squeezing pressure isexerted on the back of the lever 30. This causes the lever to rockinwards so that the cam 31 rides over the roller 36 and forces itdownwards. As a result the spindle I8 is pressed downwards against thespring 22 and the valve member I2 is depressed from its seat to releasethe liquid from the container 2. It

the lever 30 is released before the container is empty, the valve memberl2 closes again upon its seat and the remaining liquid is sealed withinthe container. The user can direct the jet of liquid with ease, sincethere is no difiiculty in pointing the extinguisher in any direction,and at the same time-canstop and re-start the flow as desired byreleasing the squeezing action on the lever 30 and reimposing it, sincewhenever the lever is not pressed inwards the spring 22 will cause it tomove outwards and the valve member [2 to close on its seat 8. Even if aperson who seizes the apparatus on the outbreak of fi-redoesnot know howto operate it, he is certain to grasp the discharge head and the tighterhe grips this the more likely he will be to start discharge of theextinguisher.

The invention is not restricted to the construction disclosed. Forexample, the roller SBmaybe omitted, but its presence is highlyadvantageous in that it reduces the lateral thrust on the spindle [bandalso reduces frictional resistance in operation. Next, the head may bedisposed on any convenient part of the container at any desired anglethereto.

Again the lever may be pivoted at the top of the head with its nose atthe bottom, provided that the internal parts are suitably arranged.

I claim:

1. In a portable fire extinguisher, in combination, a container forfluid under pressure, a discharge head, valve means within said headadapted to control a discharge passage, and a lever lying along thesurface of said head, said lever being pivoted at one end to said headand carrying at the other end a'projection extending into said head andadapted on movement of said lever to engagea part of said valve meanswithin said head to operate the same.

2. In a portable fire extinguisher, incombination, container for fluidunder pressure, aidischarge head onthe top of said container, a valvemember movable vertically in said head to vcontrol. a discharge.passage,-and a lever lying vertically along the surface of said head,said lever being ,pivoted at its lower end to said head and carrying atits upper end a projection extending into said head and adapted onmovement of said 4 lever to engage a part of said valve member withinsaid head to operate the same.

3. In a portable fire extinguisher, in combina tion, a container forfluid under pressure, a discharge head having a longitudinal slot in itsouter surface, valve means within said head adapted to control .adischarge passage, and a lever lying along said slot and adapted to 'bedepressed therein, said lever being pivoted at one end to said head andcarrying at the other end a projection extending through the base ofsaid slot into said head and adapted on depression of said levertoengage apart of said valve means within said h'ead to op'eraite thesame.

'4. ma portable fire extinguisher, in combination, a'containerior fluidunder pressure, a discharge head on the top of said container, said headhaving a vertical slot in its outer surface, a valve member movablevertically in said head to control a discharge passage, and a leverlying along said slot and adapted to be depressed therein-said leverbeing pivoted at its lower end to said head :and carrying at .its upperend an inwardly projecting cam member extending through the base -01said slot into engagement with said valve member and adapted upondepression'of said lever to cause said cam member REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 586,971 Kemper July 27, 18971,649,718 McMull'en Nov. .15, 1927 2,123,656 Miller July 12, 19382,360,603 Ward Oct. 17, 1944

